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WEEK 7 SOCCER RANKINGS; HENRY COUNTY'S TOWSON AMONG 7 INDUCTEES OF GA CHAPTER OF NATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME
 
Today, Seth Ellerbee breaks down the newest soccer rankings for boys and girls, all classifications. Graham David spoke with Bud Hennebaul of Takedown Wrestling about next month's inductees in Georgia's chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, including longtime Henry County coach Bruce Towson.
   
Follow along tonight and Friday as Score Atlanta tracks spring sports scores across the state on ScoreAtl.com and AJC.com. Visit  Scoreatl.com  and  the AJC's High School page  for additional sports coverage.

 
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Tuesday, April 3, 2018
BOYS SOCCER RANKINGS
By Seth Ellerbee
 
Dalton takes over No. 1 in Class 6A

In the state's highest classification, Norcross holds the top spot again in Week 7's poll. Walton, previously third, moved up to second following Central Gwinnett's slide to third. Grayson, previously No. 8, moved up to fourth, and Hillgrove, previously seventh, moved to fifth following Parkview's slide to 10th.

In Class AAAAAA, Dalton climbed from third to first following victories over Sprayberry and Creekview last week. Chattahoochee still holds the No. 2 spot this week with Cambridge making a climb from sixth to third. Gainesville, previously first, fell to fourth following a 2-1 loss to Dacula on March 27. Previously ranked fourth, Allatoona fell to ninth this week.

Decatur is still the team to beat in Class AAAAA with McIntosh making a move toward the top of the rankings again at No. 2 this week. Cross Keys, previously second, fell to fourth, and Carrollton, previously fourth, moved up to third. Johnson-Gainesville is fifth again this week.
Marist and Chestatee hold the top rankings in Class AAAA, respectively, again this week. Northwest Whitfield, No. 4 last week, jumped up one spot to third. Blessed Trinity fell from third to fourth, and Woodward Academy still holds the No. 5 spot this week.

Westminster still has a target on its back this week in Class AAA. The Wildcats hold the top spot ahead of North Murray, Windsor Forest, East Hall
Class 2A No. 6 Model (black) takes on Rockmart. Credit: Model HS
and Greater Atlanta Christian.

Ranked No. 1 again this week, Putnam County leads Class AA ahead of Benedictine, Jefferson County, Harlem and Thomasville. The top of the poll did not shift from last week.

Paideia leads in Class A again this week with a defending champion, Whitefield Academy, chasing. Atlanta International is third ahead of No. 4 Pinecrest Academy. Athens Academy, No. 4 last week, fell to fifth this week.

Class AAAAAAA
1. Norcross
2. Walton
3. Central Gwinnett
4. Grayson
5. Hillgrove
6. Lambert
7. Lakeside-DeKalb
8. South Forsyth
9. Collins Hill
10. Parkview

Class AAAAAA
1. Dalton
2. Chattahoochee
3. Cambridge
4. Gainesville
5. Alpharetta
6. Greenbrier
7. Dacula
8. Heritage-Conyers
9. Allatoona
10. Sprayberry

Class AAAAA
1. Decatur
2. McIntosh
3. Carrollton
4. Cross Keys
5. Johnson-Gainesville
6. Clarkston
7. Clarke Central
8. Rome
9. Grady
10. Veterans

Class AAAA
1. Marist
2. Chestatee
3. Northwest Whitfield
4. Blessed Trinity
5. Woodward Academy
6. Upson-Lee
7. Columbus
8. Southeast Whitfield
9. Druid Hills
10. Perry

Class AAA
1. Westminster
2. North Murray
3. Windsor Forest
4. East Hall
5. Greater Atlanta Christian
6. Savannah Arts
7. Lovett
8. Fannin County
9. Stone Mountain
10. Pike County

Class AA
1. Putnam County
2. Benedictine
3. Jefferson County
4. Harlem
5. Thomasville
6. Model
7. Westside-Augusta
8. Pepperell
9. Vidalia
10. Callaway

Class A
1. Paideia
2. Whitefield Academy
3. Atlanta International
4. Pinecrest Academy
5. Athens Academy
6. Savannah Country Day
7. Wesleyan
8. Providence Christian
9. Brookstone
10. St. Anne-Pacelli
GIRLS SOCCER RANKINGS
By Seth Ellerbee
 
No. 1 teams hold strong in all seven classes

Lassiter is still the team to beat in the state's highest classification. Lassiter has not allowed a goal in three games while outscoring its opponents 20-0 since falling to No. 2 Milton on March 13. Milton is No. 2 again this week with Parkview at third. Mill Creek, previously fifth, moved up to fourth following Peachtree Ridge's slide from No. 4 to No. 6. Forsyth Central is fifth this week after holding the No. 6 spot last week.

Top-ranked Johns Creek is again holding off No. 2 Creekview this week. Not much has changed in the top half of the rankings with Harrison, Sequoyah and Dacula rounding out the top five in the same order this week. Johns Creek is riding a 10-game winning streak and a six-game shutout streak and is peaking at the right time.

McIntosh is still the team to beat and the Lady Chiefs have not gotten tired of it. Despite falling to Class AAA No. 1 Westminster on March 24, McIntosh is poised for a deep postseason run. Veterans moved up to No. 2 this week as Flowery Branch fell to third. Decatur and Starr's Mill round out the top five at fourth and fifth, respectively.

Blessed Trinity is still atop Class AAAA with a determined Marist squad chasing at second. St. Pius is third again this week with Northside-Columbus at fourth. Following previously fifth-ranked North Oconee's slide to sixth, Columbus jumped up from No. 7 to fill the void.

The power programs of Class AAA have climbed to the top. Westminster leads again this week with Lovett, Greater Atlanta Christian and Savannah Arts chasing, in that order. Dawson County debuts in the top five this week following Lumpkin County's slide to sixth.

In Class AA, St. Vincent's, a defending champion, and East Laurens, the state runner-up, are No. 1 and No. 2 again this week, respectively. Lamar County and Screven County are third and fourth with Berrien County at fifth following Vidalia's slide to seventh.

Athens Academy is in the No. 1 spot again this week with First Presbyterian Day ranked second in Class A. Holy Innocents' takes the No. 3 spot again this week with Brookstone and Savannah Country Day rounding out the top five.

Class AAAAAAA
1. Lassiter
2. Milton
3. Parkview
4. Mill Creek
5. Forsyth Central
6. Peachtree Ridge
7. Roswell
8. Walton
9. Brookwood
10. Collins Hill

Class AAAAAA
1. Johns Creek
2. Creekview
3. Harrison
4. Sequoyah
5. Dacula
6. Glynn Academy
7. Pope
8. Lanier
9. Apalachee
10. Alexander

Class AAAAA
1. McIntosh
2. Veterans
3. Flowery Branch
4. Decatur
5. Starr's Mill
6. Whitewater
7. Riverwood
8. Grady
9. Harris County
10. Chamblee

Class AAAA
1. Blessed Trinity
2. Marist
3. St. Pius X
4. Northside-Columbus
5. Columbus
6. North Oconee
7. Jefferson
8. Mary Persons
9. Northwest Whitfield
10. Spalding

Class AAA
1. Westminster
2. Lovett
3. Greater Atlanta Christian
4. Savannah Arts Academy
5. Dawson County
6. Lumpkin County
7. Bremen
8. Jackson County
9. Pike County
10. Sonoraville

Class AA
1. St. Vincent's
2. East Laurens
3. Lamar County
4. Screven County
5. Berrien County
6. Model
7. Vidalia
8. Harlem
9. Dade County
10. Rockmart

Class A
1. Athens Academy
2. First Presbyterian
3. Holy Innocents'
4. Brookstone
5. Savannah Country Day
6. Walker
7. Paideia
8. Mount Pisgah
9. Eagle's Landing Christian
10. Calvary Day School
WRESTLING
By Graham David
 
7 individuals to be inducted into Georgia chapter of National Wrestling Hall of Fame

This year's Georgia Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame will be inducting seven individuals for "Lifetime Service to Wrestling" on May 6  at the Sonesta Hotel in Canton. Each of these selected individuals have cemented their place in the Hall from numerous years of service to help build and strengthen high school wrestling throughout the state of Georgia.
Among these inductees is longtime coach of Henry County wrestling Bruce Towson. His years of contribution to wrestling spans over 20 years, including tenures at Luella Middle School, Excel Academy and Henry County High School.

"He's the guy that's always behind the scenes," said Bud Hennebaul, the Director of Wrestling Development at Takedown Wrestling.

After finishing his high school education at Southeast High School, Towson went on to get a degree in Health and Physical Education while attending Georgia Southern University. After obtaining his degree, Towson embarked on a career involving teaching and coaching. A large piece of his career was dedicated to coaching at the middle school level while at Luella. Here, Towson spent his years developing the younger wrestlers into the base of future GHSA wrestling.

"Gosh, the kids he's coached over the years, there's just so many that are so good," said Hennebaul. "His composure and demeanor is probably what every coach should be like."

In some circumstances he took it upon himself to coach not only the middle school teams, but the high school teams as well. In 2016, Towson's efforts helped lead Henry County to a state championship, the first wrestling title in school history.

Towson isn't the only member of his family that has taken up a life in wrestling. His son Michael acts as a Georgia High School Association official, while his other sons, Mac and Daniel, are both acting coaches under the GHSA.

Stacey L. Davis is another true pillar of Georgia wrestling who will be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Before taking up as the head coach at Holy Innocents', Davis was a standout wrestler at North Carolina. His dedication to the sport earned him the Gwinnett County Official of the Year award in 1995-96, the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association Official of the year in 2007, the Class A-Area 4 Coach of the Year in 2013, and the Gene Collier Memorial Award of 2012-13. Later, he acted as a FILA/Olympic and GHSA official at the 2012 games in London, where he was voted the USA Wrestling Official of the Year.

"He's been good for wrestling in every aspect," said Hennebaul. "He has given so much time to wrestling. In the summer, he would work with everyone's kids, volunteering to help kids at Holy Innocents', but also opposing schools like North Gwinnett and Valdosta."

Several other decorated veterans will be joining these two esteemed inductees during the 2018 Hall of Fame ceremony. Jerry Goldstein, the assistant coach at Lovett who also acted as an assistant at Georgia Tech and Florida and as a coach at Georgia; William Howington, who provided 44 years of coaching for Winder-Barrow, Monroe Area and Dawson County; Pat McCance, the head coach at Pebblebrook and Loganville High School; Don St. James, whose years at Etowah, Centennial and Cambridge mark him as a truly remarkable wrestling figure; and Denis Tallini, who acted as a high school wrestling official in Louisiana for 31 years before becoming a GHSA administrator.






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